Help to build a parish church in Compang The island nation of Indonesia, with its population of 272 million, is the most populous Muslim nation in the world. Other religious affiliations include Christianity, professed by at least 12% of the population. Of these, 3% are Catholic (10 million people), mainly living on the island of …
Category archives: Asia
Pakistan: Church leaders applaud change to minimum marriage age
An amendment to the Christian Marriage Act means that girls and boys cannot marry below the age of 18. Though only a first step, this could make it easier to curb cases of abduction and forced marriage of Christian girls in the country. The Catholic Church in Pakistan has applauded the signing into law of …
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India: The elections and their consequences for Christians
On June 4, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), one of the major political parties in India, won its third election, extending Narendra Damodardas Modi’s tenure as leader of the country. What are the consequences of these results for the Christian community? In this interview, Father Pradeep, a Jesuit from the state of Jharkhand, shares his …
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Jesuits open first novitiate in Bangladesh with help from ACN
Thirty years after returning to Bangladesh, the Jesuits are opening a new novitiate on July 16 in the South Asian country, where Christians are a small minority. By allowing the novices to have their initial formation in their own culture and language, the Jesuits hope to promote vocations. (Photo: from the beginning, the construction process …
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Pakistan – Desperate plea for Christian man put on death row
The chair of the Catholic (National) Commission for Justice and Peace (CCJP) in Pakistan has condemned a court for ordering the death sentence on a Christian man found guilty of blasphemy in connection with one of the worst atrocities against minorities in the country’s history. Bishop Samson Shukardin of Hyderabad, president of the Catholic Bishops’ …
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East Timor – Pope’s visit expected to be a source of hope and many blessings
Devotion to the Catholic Church is one of the distinguishing aspects of East Timorese culture. Francis will be the second pope to visit the territory, but the first since independence. East Timor is one of the world’s youngest countries, having obtained independence in 2002. Pope Francis’ visit from September 9 to 11 this year will …
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Pakistan calls for“swift and impartial justice” following mob killing of Christian man
Christians in Pakistan have demanded Punjab officials bring to justice the perpetrators of the brutal attack on Nazir Gill Masih in Sargodha, which resulted in his death. (Photo : Church authorities meet police chief after attack, May 25). In a recent report sent to the international Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), …
Pakistan: Another victim of religious persecution
On June 3, Nazir Gill Masih, a 72-year-old Christian, succumbed to his injuries. A resident of Sargodha, a town in Punjab province, he had been beaten by a mob falsely accusing him of blasphemy 10 days earlier. (Cover photo : On May 25, Archbishop Joseph Arshad and Christian Senator Tahir Khalil Sindu visited the police …
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A Christian family in Pakistan attacked by an angry mob
A Christian was brutally beaten after a false accusation of burning pages of the Quran. A mob of fanatics destroyed their house and business. The victim is in hospital, in critical condition. (Cover photo: Screen capture). A Christian family in Pakistan suffered a violent attack at the hands of an angry mob of Muslim fanatics this …
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Philippines – Strengthening the faith of Catholics in Mindanao
A groundbreaking formation for catechists is set to begin on the island of Mindanao, in the spirit of the Silsilah Dialogue Movement, which marks its 40th anniversary this year. The island has been plagued by interreligious violence and tension for decades, spearheaded by Islamist militant groups. Dozens of catechists will come together to attend a …
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